


Pizza Dates for the Rest of Your Life

by itslovelyokayy



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, One Shot, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:34:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26281996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itslovelyokayy/pseuds/itslovelyokayy
Summary: A whirlwind romance with Sam sets you both up for a roller coaster through life.
Relationships: Sam & Female Player (Stardew Valley), Sam (Stardew Valley)/Original Character(s), Sam (Stardew Valley)/Original Female Character(s), Sam/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	Pizza Dates for the Rest of Your Life

**Author's Note:**

> Totally unrelated to my main fic! 
> 
> This was actually inspired by a prompt/super short one-shot I saw on Tumblr a few weeks back, but when I go back to find it I can't find it anwhere! I loved it so much and now it's gone. 😭
> 
> Also, slight warning for dark content in moments throughout!

Your eyes flutter open as his lips pull away from yours. His emerald eyes bright, the lights dim as you smile at him. The blanket on top of you is warm, or maybe it’s his body heat as he lays on his side, unable to take his eyes of off your own. 

When you woke up this morning, it had felt like any normal day. But a sweet note set in your mailbox had given you butterflies all day. 

_Meet me in front of my house tonight after dark._

_-Sam_

You had quickly finished your daily chores around the farm, and spent longer than normal getting cleaned up. Your hair was curled, put on a cute outfit, and even put on the slightest bit of makeup. 

Once the sun began to set, you hurried over to his house. After going to his band’s first concert, you knew it right then and there: Your feelings for Sam were real. However, you always considered the fact that you had misconstrued the signs. Did he feel the same for you as you did for him? Not wanting to rush it, your friendship with the lively blonde continued to blossom as the days passed. This note was a surprise, but the opportunity to hang out with him, presumably alone, filled your heart.

Quickly, he invited you into his room through his window. Gently, almost hesitantly, he began to explain his building feelings for you, as well. Before you can even respond, a knock on his door prompted you to hide in his bed. He brushed off his mom’s concerns, assuring her that he wasn’t doing anything “bad,” before she closed the door and left.

He turned to you as you pulled the blankets off of your head. “Hey…”

You smiled at him, making it a point to stay in his bed. He raised an eyebrow before shyly taking a couple steps towards you. Seeing that you didn’t budge, he slowly climbed into the bed next to you, and softly pressed his lips against yours. You sharply inhaled as you kissed him back, and placed your hand on his cheek. He pulled back shortly after, “Is this okay?” You nodded in response, and he smiled, “I always knew there was something special between us.”

~

Months had passed, and your whirlwind romance with Sam had begun to soar. Friday nights once spent at the saloon with your friends had turned into the two of you sharing a pizza in the middle of your farm’s field. The two of you would share a blanket, an extra cheese pepperoni pizza, and enjoy the star filled sky above you. You’d attend their band practices, helping design merchandise and just listening to your friends make their music. Abigail and Sebastian loved to poke fun at the two of you, “You two lovebirds can leave whenever we finish this song!” and you didn’t mind waiting one little bit. 

You were completely on Cloud Nine, and never could have imagined falling more in love than you already are; until one day, you found another note in your mailbox.

_Meet me in the spot where we very first met. Tonight, after dark._

_-Sam_

You rushed through your day, wanting the time to pass by impossibly fast. Just like the night he had confessed his feelings to you, your heart was beating through your chest as you made your way to the beach. 

The first day you had met Sam, you had already spent days making your way through town, introducing yourself to all of the residents of Pelican Town. Wanting to take a break, you walked down to the beach to listen to the waves quietly breaking along the shore. Instead, you were greeted by Jodi’s other son, Vincent, running up to you.

“Farmer! Farmer! I found a crab, can you come help us catch it? Mom said you know how to fish as well as Willy!”

You stuttered over your word as you agreed, him grabbing your hand and pulling you down to the shore. 

“Vincent, hurry! I have it trapped!”

Kneeling on the sand, a blonde in a denim jacket had a small orange crab trapped along some rocks. You hurried over, as Vincent screamed enthusiastically. 

“Don’t you know you’re not supposed to put your hands too close to their claws?” You said quickly, “Let me see your jacket! Don’t worry, I won’t let it get away.”

He quickly shed his jacket, passing it to you as you place it over the crab, and wrap the sleeves around, carefully craddling the crab in the jacket. “Uh, do you have a bucket or something?”

“Why would we need a bucket?” The blonde asked, eyebrows furrowed. 

“You...wanted to catch the crab, right?”

“Oh, uh, I guess, yeah,” He laughed, “Maybe that would’ve helped.” 

Interrupting your reminiscing, you see Sam standing on the beach. The candle boats that are set to be used next week duringt the viewing of the moonlight jellies are scattered across the sand, lighting up his back as he’s facing the ocean. You tread carefully across the sand, “Hey, Sam.”

He slightly jumped before turning around. “Oh, hey babe!”

You step towards him, going in for a kiss before he placed his hand on your shoulder, keeping you a distance away. You raise an eyebrow, silently questioning the action. “I, uh...want to talk to you.”

Your arms drop as you grab your own wrist, “Is everything...okay?”

“Yes, yes! Oh shit, sorry, I guess that, uh...never sounds good.” You nod slowly, still confused by his odd demeanor. “So...we’ve been together for a while now, and I’ve never been happier.”

You continue to nod along.

“Have you ever thought about a future...like, with me in it?”

“All the time. That’s...the only way I think about the future.” Your cheeks flush, but he simply smiles.

“I feel the same way. That being said…” He steps towards you, reaching into his pocket. “I really love you, and I want to be with you for the rest of our lives…” He kneeled on one knee, pulling something out of his pocket in an enclosed fist. “So I was wondering...if maybe you’d marry me?” He held out a mermaid pendant, traditional in Pelican Town. 

Your hands cover your gaped mouth, muffling a gasp. “Sam, I…”

“I’m sorry if this is too soon-”

“Sam, I accept!”

His eyes widened, and his parted lips grew into a huge smile. “Wait, really?!” He stood up, and you threw your arms around him, smiling as you kiss his lips. 

“Holy shit, we’re getting married!” You met his eyes, and noticed a single tear dripping down his cheek. You wiped it away with your thumb, before pressing your lips to his once more.

~

The wedding took place in the following weeks. Every resident in town came together to help; Emily helped you make the dress of your dreams, Evelyn and Caroline created all of the decorations, Gus baked the wedding cake, and Sebastian and Abigail stood with the two of you as your best man and maid of honor. The cool autumn air kept you and everybody else comfortable as the day passed with dancing, loud music, and closest friends.

At one point during the reception, Sam had even grabbed his trusty acoustic guitar and serenaded you with an original song. Couples behind you were dancing as you sat in front of the blonde, and nothing else in that moment mattered as his voice filled the air.

Days after the wedding were filled with pure happiness. Waking up to the love of your life next to you filled your heart with so much joy that you never would’ve imagined you could feel. Your adventures with Sam continued as the days passed, each day better than the last.

Until one day, you woke up ready for another amazing day, and overheard Sam talking to someone in the kitchen, “What? What do you mean… Dad, I do have a future!...Okay, I’m just gonna come over tonight. I can’t talk right now…yeah, she’s probably gonna wake up soon, so I’ll see you later.”

You slip out of bed, and enter the kitchen, “Everything okay, Sam?”

He turned around, “Oh, good morning! Yeah, yeah, just talking to my dad. Hey, I made pancakes!”

You drop the subject, figuring if he wanted to talk about it, he would. Accepting the pancakes, you sit down at the table before he joins you, starting a separate conversation.

Later that night, Sam approaches you, “Hey babe, I’m gonna go stop in and see my family for a bit. Don’t wait up for me, okay?” The two of you share a quick kiss before he grabs his trademark denim jacket and leaves through the front door. 

You turn on the tv, switching between channels to pass the time. More than likely, the odd conversation on the phone earlier has something to do with his father, Kent. Ever since coming back from the war, his dad had a hard time adjusting, and would lash out in anger. One of the prime points of pent up frustration for him was Sam, and his lack of direction throughout life, from his own perspective. Of course, you didn’t see it that way. As expected, Sam’s band was blowing up, and obviously, he was a married man now.

Your phone’s ringtone interrupts your thoughts, and you’re surprised to see Sebastian’s name across the screen. Answering the call with a cheery greeting, your mood drops quickly as you hear Sebastian whisper on the other end, “Hey, so long story short, I’m in Sam’s room trying to find one of the comics I let Sam borrow ages ago, and him and his dad are fighting in the living room. I think you should come by.”

You quickly thank him, before slipping on your shoes. On your way to his parents’ house, you run into Sam on the path home. “Oh, hey…” His voice is low. “What are you doing out here?”

You contemplate quickly, deciding to respect Sebastian’s privacy. “Uh, just taking a walk.”

He gives a soft “oh,” before walking past you, hands in his pockets. You continue with your walk, thoughts filling your head as your feet press along the dirt path into town.

~

Days were passing by slower and slower, Sam distancing himself more and more. On multiple occasions, you gently tried asking, but he had just completely shut down. The date nights had come to a stop, even your attempts at bringing home a pizza after a long day of work never earned you more than a small half smile from him.

One of these days had been just as uneventful as the last, when Sam stepped outside to find you harvesting some of the crops. 

“Hey,” he wrapped his arms around your waist, placing a soft kiss to your forehead, “The band wants to practice tonight. Wanna join us?” You nodded, and he urged you to go shower and get dressed while he took the produce to the sink to wash them. Shortly after, you were ready to go, so the two of you walked hand-in-hand to Sebastian’s basement.

Their practice began right away, given that it had been a couple weeks at this point since their last practice. Immediately, Sebastian and Abigail had picked up on their friend’s low mood. After about an hour, they decided it was time for a break. Sebastian sat at his desk, Abigail next to you on Sebastian’s bed, and Sam on the floor leaning against the wall across from them.

“Alright dude,” Sebastian broke the silence, “What’s going on?”

Sam shook his head, “Nothing.”

Abigail leaned over, whispering barely audibly, “Has he been like this constantly?” You nodded, giving Sam a weak smile as he stared up at you. His normally bright eyes had a certain dullness to them, and his normally bubbly persona had been eerily calm. In the moments he’d usually say a lame joke just to make you laugh, had now been filled with silence or one-word responses. 

“Don’t give me that bullshit, what’s it all about?” 

Sam stared away as he pursed his lips, refusing to respond. Abigail sighed as she leaned forward, using her forearms to prop herself on her thighs, “You can’t continue to act like this until you leave, it’s not fair to-”

“ _Abigail!_ ” Sam raised his voice like you hadn’t heard before. You turned to him, glaring daggers at Abigail, before turning to Sebastian, to see his eyes wide as he turned to his computer.

“Wait...leaving?” You said softly, Abigail turning to you, “Leaving where?”

Abigail’s head whipped back to face Sam, “Are you fucking kidding me, Sam?

Sam’s face was pale, all color washed away as he stared at you, “Maybe we should step outside…” You nodded, following him up the stairs and outside the front door. 

Walking towards the calm lake, you broke the silence, “What is she talking about, Sam?” His lips were pressed into a thin line, as he was clearly deep in thought. “Talk to me! You’ve been so distant and you hardly talk to me anymore. We barely got married less than a month ago and you already seem so unhappy with me!”

He turned to you, “I’m not unhappy! That’s not it…”

“Well what is it? Don’t I deserve to know?”

“I’m…leaving.”

“Leaving where?”

“I…I en-enlisted…”

“You... _what?_ ”

“I enlisted...into the army…”

Your jaw dropped, and a single coherent thought couldn’t even be formed in your mind. 

“You...enlisted into the army...right after marrying me?”

“Yeah...yeah, I guess I did…”

Your heart dropped into your stomach, and you felt the nausea rise. As you stared into his beautiful eyes, you felt the tears begin to fall. All of the air escaped your lungs, and you couldn’t manage to bring yourself to inhale again.

“Please say something…” he pleaded, stepping towards you with his arms extended. He placed a hand on your shoulder, and you quickly shook him off.

“Why?” was all you could manage to spit out.

“My dad thought it would help me get my life together…”

“Get your life together?!” your voice raised, “Your band is getting attention from labels everywhere, you just married me, I thought we were gonna have a family. And that’s not... _together_ enough for you?” The anger on your voice carrying through the air as he winced.

“In hindsight-”

“It’s too late. You’re leaving me.” You felt your heart break entirely as you took another step forward, the sob threatening to leave your lips finally spilling out. You dropped to your knees, the continuous sobs causing your entire body to tremor. He reached his hand out again, and you smacked his hand away. “Don’t touch me,” you scowled at him. This time, he got the hint.

“Okay...do you need some time alone?”

You took a moment to catch your breath, before staring off across the lake, “I’m pretty sure I’m gonna get enough alone time once you’re gone.”

He sat next to you, crossing his legs on the dirt and hanging his head. You glance over at the boy you love, and you notice tears streaming down his face to match your own. The two of you now sit in silence, before hearing footsteps behind you. Abigail runs up to you, throwing herself down on her knees as she wrapped her arms around you. Your sobs return as you press your face against her shoulder. Sebastian follows suit, kneeling besides Sam and wrapping a single arm around his shoulders. The only sound heard was your quiet sobs as the moonlight reflects on the calm lake in front of you.

~

The day you’ve been dreading has finally arrived. Your eyes open to see the bed empty beside you, and all of the miserable feelings return. The night before was the last night you’d spend with your husband, the last night you two would share a pizza, the last night you two would make love...for who knows how long. You swing your legs out of the bed, and step into the living room to see Sam adjusting his uniform.

“I thought you weren’t leaving until noon?” you ask softly, sitting down on the couch.

“I got a call earlier, I need to leave earlier than planned… I didn’t wanna wake you up.”

“So…when are you leaving?”

“Uh...about five minutes.”

You stare down at the floor, biting the inside of your cheek to hold back anymore tears. Since this news had sprung up last week, you’ve been crying every single day. Your friends had come by often, wanting to spend as much time with Sam before he left, but nothing aleviated the pain of knowing he was about to leave, and you had no idea when he’d be coming home.

The walk to the bus stop was hard, gripping onto his arm for dear life as if it would make him stay. Once the two of you arrived, you found everybody else in town waiting. The usually emotionless Sebastian was choking back tears between goodbyes, Abigail couldn’t even find her words. Jodi was sobbing as Kent held her, and Vincent ran up crying, “Sam, please don’t go! We can save the world together here!” As Sam said his goodbyes, words were sparce. Sobs were heard all around you as you waited patiently for your friends and neighbors to step back, allowing you your finally goodbye.

You wrapped your arms around him, sobbing into his chest. “I’m gonna miss you so much…” 

He softly kissed the top of your head, “I know…” and you felt tears fall onto your hair, “I’m gonna miss you too.”

Moments passed before Pam quietly spoke up, “I’m sorry, but…we gotta get going if we wanna make it on time, Sam.”

He pulled away, pressing one last kiss to your lips and the two of you whispere goodbyes before he stepped onto the bus. The tears continued to fall down your cheeks as you felt your chest tighten, your heart finally breaking apart into two. The bus doors closed, and your eyes met Sam’s before he dropped his head. You grabbed the pendant around your neck, unable to catch your breath as you felt yourself begin to hyperventilate. 

Vincent wrapped his arms around your leg as he cried, and Harvey placed a hand on your shoulder, “I know this is hard, but you need to steady your breath.”

You shake his hand off and turn around. Sebastian is wiping away tears, Penny is sitting on a fence by the main path, and Kent is approaching you. “Hey, it’s gonna be okay-” You rush past him, shoulder shoving him to the side as your pace quickened. Your feet storm the pavement as you begin to run away from the bus stop, through the town, and down to the beach. The exact same spot he proposed has been the calmest spot in all of Stardew Valley for you, but now, it just brings heartbreak. Falling to your knees, all you can think of is how your husband, the love of your life, is gone. 

~

Six weeks have now passed, and it’s never gotten any easier. Nights that had been filled with many wonderful memories only cause you pain. Polaroid photos of the two of you, surrounded by friends and family, are now scattered across the walls in your home. The crops in your field are all long dead, having been neglected the past several weeks. Marnie, Shane and even Jas have been helping to take care of the animals. Sebastian and Abigail spent more time with you than not, simply keeping you company through these weeks. Gus and Emily often brought over leftovers from the saloon, often being the only food you’d eat in a day. 

These weeks were the hardest time in your life, and for all you knew, they were only the beginning. Another uneventful day had arrived, and you had successfully crawled out of bed and sprawled across the couch before Abigail and Sebastian came by again. 

“Hey!” Sebastian called over as they let themselves in through the front door, “I brought some pancake mix, I was thinking we could all have some breakfast for once.”

You hummed in response, never taking your eyes off of the Queen of Sauce re-run. Of course, you’d seen this episode time and time before, but the repetitive distraction at least kept your mind from reeling. Of course, how are they supposed to know Sam would make pancakes for breakfast all the time? Abigail sat next to you in silence, pulling the blanket off of the back of the couch and wrapping it around the both of you. She snuggled closer into your side, “Yoba, it’s cold outside. Why don’t you have the fireplace going?” You shrugged and continued to focus on the pizza the cooking show host was building. She confides that her favorite pizza topping is anchovies, and all that comes to mind was the time that Sam poured a bucket of anchovies into the community luau. A warm feeling fills your chest as you reminisce on him hiding behind the three of you as the governor tasted the soup, commenting on the saltiness and excessive fishy taste. Shortly after, Mayor Lewis quickly pinned it on Sam, condemning him to twenty extra community hours over the week. To anyone else, having to serve twenty community hours outside of working a full-time job would’ve been a true punishment; but to Sam, he laughed it off, declaring it to be worth everything.

Your thoughts are interrupted when you hear bacon sizzling from the kitchen, and look over and see Sebastian intently cooking breakfast. Without warning, you clutch your stomach and lean over the floor, vomiting on the rug below you. Abigail jumps up, “Holy shit, are you okay?” Sebastian turns around and quickly grabs a cup filled with water and brings it over, as Abigail leans over, “What’s wrong, what happened?”

You cover your mouth, and rush into the bathroom, continuously vomiting into the toilet. Having left the door open, you hear them both quietly questioning what happened, before Abigail enters the bathroom with you. “Hey…are you okay?” You nod, wiping your mouth and leaning against the bathtub.

“Yeah, must just be something I ate…” 

“Is this the first time you’ve been sick?”

You hesitate before responding, “No…it’s been like this for about a week or two now, I think.”

“Maybe we should go see Doctor Harvey… Come on, I’ll walk with you.” She reaches her hand out, and you hesitantly take it before stepping into the living room. Sebastian turns off the kitchen appliances before following you two out the door.

When you step into Harvey’s office, Maru is sorting through files behind the counter. Your arms are wrapped around yourself, trying to refrain from being sick again. Maru looks up, “Hi! Do you three need something?” Abigail quietly explains what the situation is, before Maru asks you three to follow her through the door. You take a seat in the room, and Harvey rapidly enters as well.

“So I hear you haven’t been eating, and you’ve been sick to your stomach?” You nod as Abigail helps explain everything. Trying to put together coherent words, your brain just scrambles and you feel a slight headache come about. He talks along with Abigail for a few moments, but you aren’t even paying attention. Sebastian is staring down at you in intense thought, lips pressed together as the gears are grinding, before Harvey asks him to leave so he can run some tests. Sebastian obliges and Harvey bends down in front of you, “I’m gonna need to run some tests, okay?” Abigail squeezes your hand, and you nod in agreement.

The tests go by quickly, your arm still sore from the single shot so he can take some blood. He gives you a granola bar before stepping out to go through the results. You open the bar and begin to nibble away slowly, thoughts as blank as the bed you’re sitting on. Abigail tries halfheartedly to create small talk, and you quietly speak with her before Harvey reenters the room.

“So we ran some tests, and Maru and I were able to sort through the results quickly. Do you want to be alone, or would you like Abigail to stay?”

“She can stay,” you say as you squeeze her hand once more, “I don’t really wanna be alone right now.”

He nods along, “Alright well, in that case…you’re pregnant.” You’re too stunned to move. Harvey continues to speak, but you’re not even processing his words as your heartbeat throbs in your head. Lightning crackles through your veins as you reach up to grab the dangling pendant around your neck.

You stare up at Harvey, eyes wide, “Are you sure?” He nods, and begins to explain he will need further testing to confirm how far along you are, before excusing himself to ready the tests. 

The breath had yet to return to your lungs when Abigail turned your face to hers, “It’s gonna be okay, I’m here for you. Everybody is.” Your eyes burn with tears as you drop your face into the crevice of her shoulder and sobs tear through your body. Sam was gone, and now you’re going to be giving birth to his child without him there. It was almost too much to handle all at once.

~

The tests confirmed you were roughly seven weeks along now; not far enough along to confirm the gender, but enough to know it had been conceived the night before Sam left. It had only been a week since the appointment, and the test results had finally arrived yesterday confirming the details. Somehow, in an almost twisted away, becoming pregnant gave you the push you needed to get back up on your feet. For the first time in weeks, you cleaned your entire house from top to bottom. Sebastian had come over with his mom to help put together a crib for you, and you met them at the door with a weak, but prevalent smile.

“Hey, thanks for coming by.” 

Sebastian’s eyebrows raised at the surprisingly amount of energy radiating off of you, “You look great today.” 

Robin quickly pulled you into a hug, wrapping her arms around you as she congratulated you, “Have you told anyone yet?”

You shook your head, “Sam’s family needs to know before everyone else. I’m actually heading over there tonight to let them know. Please keep this quiet until then.”

She agreed as you let them in the house, “Oh of course! I haven’t told anyone. Sebastian seemed off when he came home yesterday, and I forced it out of him.”

You smiled at Sebastian before hugging him too, “Thank you for being there for me.”

He gently squeezed you, “Always. You’re one of my closest friends; let alone, my best friend’s wife. He’d kill me if I wasn’t there for you while he was gone.”

You giggled before showing them to the spare room. Before last week, this room had just been filled with extra belongings, but now, it was cleaned up to become the nursery of your dreams. Robin placed a hand on your shoulder, “Go talk to his family now, this is huge.”

“No no, I can do it later! I wanna help with this.”

She shook her head, “Please, allow us to do this. Go take some time, you deserve this.”

You begrudgingly agreed, telling them to help themselves to anything you have as you made your way to Jodi’s house.

The trip is relatively short, and you let yourself in her house through the front door. Jodi and Vincent are sitting on the couch enjoying a movie, and you see Kent in the kitchen with his back turned. “Hi everyone!”

“Oh hi there sweetie! I didn’t know you were coming by today!” Jodi sits up, motioning for Vincent to do the same, “Do you need something?”

“Uh, no, actually I was hoping I could talk to you all really quick…” You bite your lip, suddenly nervous about their reactions. 

Kent steps into the living room, stern as always, “What is it?”

You take a deep breath as you sit in their recliner, scanning their faces. Vincent looks confused, Jodi’s face screams of concern, and Kent oh so constantly unreadable. You exhale softly, “I’m pregnant.”

Jodi’s eyes widen, “Oh my Yoba, are you serious?” You nod, giving a weak smile in her direction. She stands up and hurries over, pulling you to stand up and into a hug. Giddy with joy, she hurries over to Kent and pulls him into a hug as well, exclaiming her excitement about being a grandmother. 

Vincent stares up at you with wide eyes, “So you’re gonna have a baby?” You confirm with him that, yes, you’re going to have a baby, and he’s going to be an uncle. His pursed lips grow into a wide grin, “Cool! Is it a boy or a girl?”

You laugh as you kneel down, “I’m not sure yet! We won’t know for a couple more months, but they’re going to love having such an awesome uncle.”

You stand up straight as Vincent runs over to Jodi, and she pulls him back onto the couch. Kent is scanning you with his eyes, before reaching his arms out for a hug. You cross the room and he wraps his arms around you, “He’s going to be ecstatic. You two will make fantastic parents.”

You pull away, “I’m going to be sending a letter tomorrow, telling him the news. How long do you think it’ll take for him to get it?”

“Honestly, it depends. But give it to me when you’re ready, and I’ll get it to my contact. He’ll make sure it gets to Sam urgently, I promise.”

You thank him, and sit back down in the recliner. The rest of the day passes by smoothly, and it’s late by the time you get home. Stepping into the nursery, you see a note taped on the railing.

_This blanket was Sam’s and mine when we were kids. Don’t ask why we shared a blanket - I have no idea. But it’s your’s now. - Seb_

You smiled as you reached into the crib and pulled out a small red blanket with green dinosaurs all over. This simple act filled your heart, and for the first night in weeks, you were able to fall asleep peacefully with hopeful thoughts of the future.

~

_Dear Sam,_

_I miss you terribly. The house feels empty without you. Sebastian and Abigail are here pretty often to keep me company, and I posted photos across all of the walls. In all honesty, they keep me sane._

_Your family is doing well. It took a while for your mom to get back on her feet, but I’m in no place to judge as it took me even longer. Vincent is doing better in school. Sometimes, Penny brings him and Jas over to study the animals. A black chicken even hatched a couple weeks ago - she’s beautiful._

_I have some news for you, as well. I never would’ve imagined I’d be writing this in a letter, but… I’m pregnant. We’re going to have a child! As I write this, I’m about seven weeks along. Obviously I’m not religious or anything, but I’ve been silently praying for your safe return, especially to meet our upcoming little one._

_I love you endlessly. Please be safe, I can’t wait to see your big goofy smile again soon._

~

**Three months later:**

“You’re nearly five months along, it’s almost time for your baby shower!”

You turned to Abigail, who was busy climbing a tall tree and dropping apricots to Emily below. You sat on a nearby log and laughed, “It’s still two months away!”

“Hey, that’s still pretty close! Let’s be honest, your pregancy has been flying by.”

You snickered, “Yeah, try saying that to Emily when she has to keep tailoring all of my clothes!”

Emily laughed, “It’s no problem for me! Making maternity clothes for you has definitely been my favorite project since your wedding dress.”

You hear footsteps behind you, and as you turn, you see Kent walking up. “Oh, hi Kent!”

He gave a small smile, “I have a letter I believe you’ve been waiting for?”

You gasped, “Wait. Really? He wrote back?” He nodded as he handed you the letter, “Let me know when your next letter is ready,” he said before walking away.

Staring at the envelope in your hand, your thumb brushes across your name written across in Sam’s notoriously terrible handwriting. Abigail calls from the top of the tree, “Is that from Sam?”

You look up at her and nod, but your heart is beating out of your chest. It’s been months since you’ve spoken to him, and finally, a letter with your name is in your hands. You quickly open the envelope, careful not to tear it as you plan on keeping everything from him.

_To the mother of my child,_

_HOLY SHIT. I actually get to write that. Wow, this is crazy._

_To be honest, I had to rewrite this several times, and I’m still at a loss for words. By the time this letter gets to you, I’m sure some time has passed, but regardless, know that I am still shocked._

_And totally excited. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m absolutely stoked._

_I think about you every single day. I’m so sorry I left. I miss you every day, and I have such a hard time living with myself, knowing that I willingly left you. Now, I know every day that I have to fight harder and harder to come home to you, and our growing family. I love you more than I can put into words._

_Please tell everybody I said hello. I wish I could send a letter to every single person, but it’s hard to find the time to write too much. Plus, you_ obviously _take priority._

_Tell Sebastian and Abigail especially that I miss them, too. If you haven’t chosen anyone already, I really think they should be our kid’s godparents. Or if you chose others already, I support your choice either way._

_Last thing before I go - you mentioned having polaroids all over the walls now? I have one more for you. Someone in my troop has a camera, and I asked them to take it for me so you can see. Know that no matter what happens, I love you. I promise you, I’ll be home soon._

_With all love,_

_Sam_

You pull out the picture behind the letter, and smile at the sight. There Sam stood, back against a brick wall, gray t-shirt tucked into a loose pair of pants. His normally spiked hair was seemingly once cut short but started to grow out, his hands were shoved in his pockets, and he wore his normally goofy wide grin. Your eyes began to water and you scanned the photograph, as you placed your free hand across your mouth to bite back any cries.

You jumped slightly as Abigail leaned over your shoulder, gasping slightly at the picture. “Is that him now?” You nodded in response, “Wow…he looks completely different.”

Emily spoke up from above, “He looks like he’s grown up, that’s for sure.”

Smiling behind your hand, your heart raced out of your chest before you excused yourself to write a response.

~

Another two months had passed, and you woke up on the morning of your baby shower. You excitedly rushed through your shower, styled your hair, and did your makeup, barely finishing before you heard a knock on the door.

You opened it to see Haley standing in front, “Hi! The girls asked me to come get you and bring you to the baby shower.”

“Oh, an escort?” You both giggled before you slipped on your shoes and followed her to Jodi’s house. The outside of the house was decorated with pink and blue decorations, as you hadn’t yet told anyone what the gender was. Haley opened the door for you, and every woman in town turned to smile at you as you stepped inside. 

Abigail was the first to run up, “You look so beautiful in your dress!” 

You wrapped your arms around her, “Thank you! Abby, this is all gorgeous, you all didn’t have to do this much.”

“Stop! You deserve all this! Are you kidding, Vincent was the last kid born here in Pelican Town and that was obviously, what, seven years ago now? This is exciting!”

You laughed as Jodi walked up, “Honey, okay I know you’ve been wanting to wait, but can we please know the gender now?” You continued laughing as you agreed. She hurriedly called everyone around as you stood in the middle, with Abigail and Jodi on either side of you.

“So…uh, I don’t know how to build any suspense to this,” you laughed nervously, “But uh…it’s a boy,” you whispered, almost unaudibly.

Caroline spoke softly, “Nobody heard you, dear.”

“It’s...a boy!” You exclaimed louder, Jodi’s eyes watering with excitement and Robin laughing.

“First Sam and Vincent, and now another boy is on the way!”

You laughed, before picturing your husband’s face again and your heart sank. It had been two months since you received his letter, and you responded immediately the next day, but haven’t received anything since. Rationally, you knew it took three months last time to get a letter from him, so you knew it would be a bit longer. It still hurt, though. You snapped back to reality when realization hit you, “Abigail!”

She turned away from her conversation with Maru, “Yeah?”

“Actually, I have to ask you something. You and Seb, actually.”

“Oh, uh, I know he’s at the saloon with the guys, let me run and grab him.”

You waited outside as she made quick work of the run across town square, and hurried back with Sebastian. “It’s your baby shower, what’s so important?” He asked frantically, his eyebrows furrowed. 

“Well, in the letter I got from Sam, he wanted me to tell you guys something other than what I said…” They both looked at you confusingly. “Well, I gotta ask you guys something. Uh…will you be our son’s godparents?”

Their eyes both widened, Abigail covering her mouth with her hands. “Are you serious?” Sebastian asked, Abigail seemingly short on words.

You nodded, “Absolutely! It’s what he wanted, and honestly, I can’t think of anyone better for the job.”

Sebastian pulled you in for a hug, gently wrapping his arms around you to be careful of your growing bump. “I’d love to, and I’m sure Abby would say the same if she should speak.”

You looked at her while your face was pressed against Sebastian’s chest, and she only nodded vigorously, giving you all the answer you need.

Behind her, you see Kent walking past you all into the house. You pulled away from Sebastian, “What’s Kent doing here?”

He shrugs, “No idea, let’s go see.”

The three of you walk back inside, and see Kent talking to Jodi in the kitchen. From where you are, as you walk through the busy living room into the otherwise empty kitchen, you watch as she stumbles backwards, placing a hand over her mouth to stifle a sob. As the scene played out in front of you, a feeling of unbearable dread crept up from the pit of your stomach as you froze.

Kent turned to you, and his eyes widened. Jodi also turned, and you saw the tears falling down her face as she ran down the hallway towards their bedroom.

Abigail spoke up softly, “What the fuck was that…” 

Fear crippled you as every muscle in your body froze. Kent took a step towards you, but you couldn’t make out the words he was saying. The loud and irregular heartbeat filled your ears as your stomach churned.

Sebastian gently pushed you forward to meet Kent in the kitchen, as he simultaneously grabbed your hands. “I’m so sorry, he…he didn’t make it…”

Abigail let out a weak sob, “You mean Sam’s…” her voice trailed off. 

You took two small steps backwards as he softly called your name, “I’m so sorry, they did all they could, but the injuries were too severe…”

The color drained from your face as you continued to step backwards, bumping into Robin along the way. She looked at you with deep concern in her eyes, “Wait…” 

You turned around completely, pushing through the crowd as best as you could and out the front door. Your hands were shaking with an odd rhythm, as you heard someone calling your name from behind you. Walking storming down the cobblestone path, as the first tear finally broke free, the rest followed in an unbroken stream. You barely made it to the southern bridge before your legs gave our, falling to your knees in the dirt. Wrapping your arms around your growing bump, the falling tears soaked your shirt as you silently suffocated. The pain in your chest unbearable as you struggled to catch your breath, the only noise coming from you were the gut-wrenching sobs that tore through your chest.

Behind you, voices were calling for Doctor Harvey in the saloon. Sudden footsteps raced up near you, and you turned to see Sebastian collapsing on the ground next to you, back sliding down the railing of the bridge as his grief poured out in a floor of uncontrollable tears. His hands reached into his hair, grabbing as he mumbled through his broken breath, “Fuck… _fuck!”_ He finally wailed through incoherent sobs. His face dropped into his knees as his whole body trembled, and the sight of your usually-composed friend breaking was enough to send you over the edge. 

Abigail walked up slowly behind you two, draping herself across your shoulders as you continued with an onslaught of sobs. Harvey walked up shortly after, finding the three of you on the floor in a dishevelled heap. He kneeled in front of you, gently lifting your chin, “I know it hurts,” you slowly open your eyes to find his filled with tears to match your own, “But I need you to breath for me. For your son.”

You gripped at the dress covering your bump, and another sob broke free. The stinging tears continued to fall as you used your free hand to wipe away what you could as Harvey walked you through taking deep breaths. Though shaky, the breaths you managed to inhale and exhale were better than the hyperventilating shaking your entire body.

You turned to Abigail first, who seemed better composed. Though your vision was blurry, you could see her swollen, red eyes through your tears. You turned to Sebastian next, his wracked body weakly leaning on just his knees as he struggled to catch his breath. Slowly scooting over, you placed a hand on his own through his hair and gripped it tightly. Though you were losing your husband, and the father of your arriving son, he was losing his best friend since childhood. 

The three of you sat in a miserable silence, only broken by Harvey taking turns between you and Sebastian to calm your breathing. The steps behind you went unnoticed until Kent cleared his throat, “I have something I really need to say.”

“What the fuck do you have to say right now?” Sebastian barked, eyes glaring daggers that could kill, “You’re the reason he left in the first place! _Fuck_ dude, I don’t wanna be in a world without Sam…”

“I understand… But he had a letter on him. I really think you need to read it,” he tapped on your shoulder before stepping back, “I’m sorry…”

You grabbed the letter out of his hands, and froze when you saw the envelope in your hands. A single drop of dried blood was on the corner of the envelope, and the entire piece was wrinkled and seemingly attempted to straighten out again. Following the same steps as last time, you slowly opened the envelope and pulled out the letter.

_My love,_

_I don’t know when I’ll get to send this. We’re being sent out to another location, and they said we can’t send out letters from there. Hopefully this makes it into your hands some day._

_Apparently once we’ve finished clearing out this mission, we’ll be able to come home! From the day I’m writing this, it should only be another week or two. Maybe you won’t see this letter at all, and you’ll just open the front door to me standing there one day. Would you hate me if I came home without warning? Possiby, but it’d probably make a funny story._

_We’re having a son? That’s amazing… I never would’ve imagined I’d be lucky enough to not only marry the love of my life, but also have a son with her? Damn, I hope you’re ready to deal with a mini-me. Hopefully he’ll be more behaved than I was when I was a kid!_

_We’ll have to talk about boys’ names when I get home then, right? I’m not sure if I ever thought of it before. Maybe it’d be cool to name him after me, or is that weird? Should we name him after Seb? I mean, he’s my best friend, so maybe less weird._

_I really don’t think you understand how much I miss you all. Remember that time the four of us explored that abandoned building in the forest, and Abby fell through the floor, so we all just sat with her for almost an hour before actually helping? Maybe it’s stupid, but I think of those times all the time._

_I miss you all. We must have a lot of band practice to catch up on, huh? I think I wanna write a song about this when I come home._

_I love you. I love you more than you’ll ever know. I hope you’re happy with life, I hope your baby shower was everything you ever dreamed of. You deserve the world._

_I’ll see you soon, babe._

_P.S. Yes, I’m staying safe. Yoba knows I’d never leave you and our son alone. Stop worrying so much! You know pregnant women aren’t supposed to stress._

_P.P.S. I’ll be dreaming of another pizza date! Trust me, we’ll be enjoying those for the rest of our lives._

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!
> 
> I started writing this with full intentions of the sad ending, but even as I continued writing, I made myself sad that I couldn't give it a happy ending. 🥺


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